Improvement in refrigerators



w. P. BUTLER.

Refrigerator.

NOv 161,928. I Patented April13,l875.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0.-LITH.39 8:4! PARK PLAGLN-Y- WILLIAM P. BUTLER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,928, dated April 13, 1875; application filed February 15, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PRENTIOE BUTLER, of Syracuse, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists, first, in the construction and arrangement of the tank or cooler for drinking-water, and its position in a refrigerator relative to the ice pan or rack, whereby room is saved in the refrigerator, and at the same time a large surface of the cooler brought in proximity to the ice, and the cooling of the water aided by the drippings from the ice without intermixing it with the former, and which facilitates the filling and cleaning of the cooler or tank; second, in the arrangement of the reservoir for the drippings from the ice, and its connection with the refrigerator, whereby the interior of the refrigerator is rendered spacious, the gases arising from the food placed therein absorbed by the water in the reservoir, the reservoir easily emptied and cleaned, and the use of pans, or other vessels usually placed under the refrigerator as a receptacle for wastewater, is dispensed with.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of a refrigerator, with the doors opened to show my improvements in position; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of same; Fig. 3, a section through 3 y in Fig. 2, showing the interior bottom of the refrigerator and cover of reservoir partly removed to expose the overflow tube; and Fig. 4, an enlarged View of the tank or cooler for the drinking-water.

a is a perforated movable ice pan or rack, resting on brackets or flanges attached to the refrigerator. 0 is the movable tank or cooler for drinking-water, resting on bars or supports immediately under the ice-pan. The cover of this tank is detachable or movable, either partly or entirely,- for the purpose of fillin g and cleaningthe tank, and is fitted over the sides and made convex or raised in the center sufficiently to allow the drippings from the ice-pan to pass off to the trough V underneath, from whence it is conducted by pipe 3 in the rear end to the reservoir r under the refrigerator. At times, when the cooler is not required, it can be removed and the ice-pan placed in its stead, thereby obtaining additional room in the refrigerator. If it is desired to have the opening to the cooler or tank for filling accessible without opening the refrigerator, the tank may be made of sufficient length to project at the front, and that portion of the top provided with a lid. The tank is made shallow and broad, so as to occupy but little room, and at the same time bring a large surface in proximity to the ice. The cooling of the water is aided by the dripping from the ice-pan upon the cover of the tank.

The water-sheds under the tank are fittedclose to the sides of the refrigerator and inclined toward the center, where they have communication to the trough V, which is inclined toward the rear, and there connected with a pipe, 8, leading to the reservoir 1', thereby preventing any of the water entering the provision-chambers. r is the reservoir for the drippings from the ice, which are conducted to it by pipe 8, as before described. This reservoir I attach under the bottom of the refrigerator for the purpose of saving room in the latter, and may be either rigid or movable, as may be desired. The top of it is open into the bottom of the refrigerator, and covered by a loose perforated plate, a, forming part of the bottom of the refrigerator, which is removed in cleaning the reservoir. By means of the perforated top a the water in the reservoir 1' is allowed to absorb the gases from the food placed in the refrigerator and the air kept pure. It is provided with a faucet in front for emptying, and an overflow or waste pipe, at, in its side, which can be connected with another waste pipe or siphon, thereby dispensing with the use of pans or other vessels usually placed under refrigerators as receptacles of waste-water.

Having thus fully described my improvements, I claim- 1. The movable tank or cooler 0, having a convex cover, constructed as described, in combination with the ice-pan a, water-sheds c e, and trough V, substantially as specified and shown, for the purpose set forth.

2. The reservoir 0, provided with wastepipe at, and covered by the removable perfo-= rated plate 02, forming part of the bottom of county of Onondaga. and State of New York,

the refrigerator, constructed as described, and this 12th day of February, 1875.

combined with nrefri erator substantiall as and for the purpose siecified y WILLIAM PRENTICE BUTLER In testimony whereof I have signed my Witnesses:

name and affixed my seal in the presence of CHRIS. HOLMSTRUP,

two attesting Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the CHAS. H. HEY. 

